Posted to News on 27th Apr 2021, 00:00
Improved appearance, durability and production speed
The thick bond lines and slow curing speed of a high-viscosity silicone rubber adhesive (RTV) used to bond aluminium letters to PVC sign boards was causing aesthetic issues and slowing production for a retail sign manufacturer. The problem was also compounded by the low bond strength of the adhesive which often resulted in letters falling off the boards in transit or after installation.
For this manufacturer, Loctite 401 proved an instant fix for all the problems. Also known as a cyanoacrylate, this type of adhesive is ideal for bonding small to medium-sized parts. It provides fast cure speeds and excellent bond strengths on a wide variety of substrates.
Loctite 401 proved successful for this application because it is formulated for the assembly of difficult-to-bond materials requiring uniform stress distribution and high tensile and/or shear strength. The product provides for the rapid bonding of a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics and elastomers.
Fixture speed is just five seconds and a full cure is achieved in 24 hours. For sign manufacturers, this means assembly is clean, quick and efficient and its strength rating of 19,995 kPa (2,900 psi) means the durability of the bond is assured.
Loctite 401 not only cures considerably quicker than the RTV it also only requires a few small drops on each sign letter and light hand pressure to apply. And as it is suitable for bonding to porous materials such as wood, the sign manufacturer’s scope of substrate choice is also extended.
By changing to this instant adhesive, the signs are now more aesthetically pleasing as bond lines are thinner. Fast cure speed has maximised production output, lowered overall manufacturing costs and boosted throughput so finished products now have a shorter lead time.
